Friday 7 October 2022 09:55 PM Inside the life of 'Little Eshay' Wayne Russell, 12, killed in 'TikTok' crash, ... trends now
The disturbing family past of 12-year-old Wayne Russell has emerged just days after the self-proclaimed 'Little Eshay' was killed in a mysterious car crash that investigators believe could be linked to a dangerous TikTok game.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Wayne's mother, Samantha Sebbens, nearly died after leading police on a high-speed alcohol-fuelled car chase six years ago.
Russell was found seriously injured at a friend's home in Balgownie, Wollongong, about 2am on Tuesday - just half an hour after a stolen Holden Barina smashed into a traffic light nearby and the occupants fled the scene.
Emergency services were called and he was treated by paramedics before being rushed to Wollongong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A crime scene was set up at the home and police are investigating if the child's death is linked to the crash.
A boy, 17, was arrested at Goulburn Police Station on Friday and charged with six offences relating to the crash, including dangerous driving occasioning death. He was refused bail and will appear in children's court on Saturday.
Wayne Russell, 12, who described himself as a 'Little Eshay' online, died from horrific injuries in Wollongong on Tuesday night
Pictured: emergency services at the scene of the crash after a Holden Barina ploughed into a traffic light in Towradgi about 1.35am on Tuesday
Detectives are also looking into whether the incident is related to a dangerous TikTok trend called 'creeping while you sleeping' - where young Australians film themselves committing serious crimes including stealing cars and driving at high speeds.
TikTok has confirmed it would remove videos containing the hashtag along with others including #blackoutchallenge where users hold their breath until they pass out.
Now, Daily Mail Australia can reveal Ms Sebbens pleaded guilty to police pursuit and mid-range drink driving in August 2016 after she was embroiled in an eerily similar crash, colliding head-on with another car.
In October 2015, Sebbens, now 35, was behind the wheel of a silver Ford Laser cruising through East Nowra when police noticed the vehicle was being driven without headlights about 8.49pm.
The officers tried to stop the car for a random breath test but, despite the police turning on their lights and sirens, the vehicle sped off, clocking up to 105km/h in a 70km zone.
The court heard Sebbens ran several red lights, veered between lanes, and crossed onto the opposite side of the road into oncoming traffic to avoid capture, according to the South Coast Register.
Police set up cars to block her path to no avail, with one officer forced to jump out of her way as she narrowly missed the blockade.
At one point - as she led officers out of the CBD onto the highway then back into the town's centre - she cranked her handbrake, leaving a five-metre skid mark.
The pursuit only came to an end when she ploughed front-on into a vehicle, leaving the 60-year-old female driver of the other car with minor injuries and herself with serious leg injuries.
Sebbens was taken to Shoalhaven District Hospital and later produced a breath test of 0.08.
Samantha Sebbens (pictured) pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving and police pursuit after a head-on car collision in 2015
Sebbens crash was eerily similar to the accident that claimed her son's life
